In a coordinated international effort, law enforcement agencies from the United States, Europe, and Australia have dismantled Cracked and Nulled, two of the world's largest cybercrime marketplaces. These underground forums—home to more than 10 million users—facilitated the trade of stolen data, hacking tools, and cybercrime-as-a-service, making these illicit activities more accessible than ever.
The takedown, dubbed "Operation Talent," was led by Germany's Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) and Europol, with participation from agencies across eight countries, including the U.S. FBI. According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the forums impacted at least 17 million U.S. victims and generated millions of dollars in criminal revenue.
Between January 28 and January 30, 2025, law enforcement:
Authorities have placed seizure banners on all affected domains, notifying users that the platforms have been taken down by law enforcement.
Since 2018, Cracked functioned as a hub for selling stolen login credentials, malware, and cybercrime tools. The forum had more than 4 million users and listed more than 28 million posts advertising illicit services. It is estimated to have generated $4 million in revenue.
One of the most alarming features of Cracked was a searchable database of billions of stolen credentials, which allowed criminals to quickly find and exploit login details. In one case cited by the DOJ, a cybercriminal used this tool to obtain a victim's credentials, which were then used to harass and sextort the victim.
"The seizure of these marketplaces is intended to disrupt this type of cybercrime and the proliferation of these tools in the cybercrime community," said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the DOJ's Criminal Division.
The FBI Buffalo Field Office led the investigation into Cracked, coordinating with international law enforcement to seize its servers and shut down its financial operations.
Operating since 2016, Nulled specialized in selling stolen identification documents, hacking tools, and access to compromised accounts. The platform had more than 5 million users, listed 43 million posts, and was generating $1 million per year in revenue.
A particularly disturbing offering on Nulled included a database of 500,000 American citizens' names and Social Security numbers. Nulled's administrator, Lucas Sohn, played a central role in facilitating transactions on the forum. He is now facing U.S. federal charges, including:
The FBI Austin Cyber Task Force led the U.S. investigation into Nulled, working alongside international partners to dismantle the marketplace.
Europol emphasized that forums like Cracked and Nulled have made cybercrime more accessible to low-level criminals, offering AI-powered phishing tools, automated vulnerability scanners, and hacking services.
"These platforms provided a one-stop shop for cybercriminals, lowering the barrier of entry into the world of cybercrime," said Europol's Executive Director, Catherine De Bolle. "This takedown sends a strong message: law enforcement will continue to disrupt the criminal ecosystem that enables cyberattacks."
By dismantling these two major forums, law enforcement agencies have disrupted a global supply chain of cybercrime tools. However, history has shown that similar forums often reappear under new names or domains. The fight against cybercrime is far from over, but Operation Talent demonstrates that law enforcement can and will take down the infrastructure that fuels these crimes.
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